1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to internally cooled turbomachinery components and, more particularly to providing cooling air to a vane.
2. Background Information
The blades and vanes used in the turbine section of a gas turbine engine each have an airfoil section that extends radially across an engine flowpath. During engine operation the turbine blades and vanes are exposed to elevated temperatures that can lead to mechanical failure and corrosion. Therefore, it is common practice to make the blades and vanes from a temperature tolerant alloy and to apply corrosion resistant and thermally insulating coatings to the airfoil and other flowpath exposed surfaces. It is also widespread practice to cool the airfoils by flowing a coolant through the interior of the airfoils.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,043 assigned to the assignee of the present invention discloses that cooling air flows from a plenum to a cooling air inlet duct of the airfoil. As new combustors are developed there is a need for additional cooling in the high pressure turbine, including the vanes.